title: Role of extended chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer patients with high posttreatment serum CA-125 levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to determine whether the inclusion of additional cycles of carboplatin-paclitaxel is beneficial to patients with high posttreatment serum CA-125 levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among patients who achieved remission after six cycles of carboplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy, those with CA-125 of 10-35 U/ml at the time of remission were divided into two groups (group A: six cycles of standard chemotherapy vs. group B: two or more additional cycles) and were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 436 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, 154 patients (46.8%) had CA-125 of 10-35 U/ml at the time of remission. Fifty-six patients (36.4%) received two or more cycles after the first six cycles of chemotherapy (group B). The addition of two or more cycles of chemotherapy did not improve the progression-free survival (p = 0.660). There was no statistical difference in the rates of CA-125 falling to <10 U/ml between the two groups (p = 0.256). Moreover, the degree of CA-125 decrease after six cycles of chemotherapy was similar regardless of the additional cycles (p = 0.656).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of two or more cycles of standard chemotherapy based on posttreatment CA-125 levels was not beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Branch of Uterine Cancer, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sokbom
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Tae-Joong
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Byoung-Gie
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Duk-Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Sang-Yoon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel